Orapa Diamond Mine
Orapa is an open pit style of mine and is the largest diamond mine in the world by area. The mine is located on two kimberlite pipes that converge near the surface, covering 1.18 km (0.46 sq mi). Orapa operates seven days per week, and produces 20 million tonnes (20,000,000 long tons; 22,000,000 short tons) of ore and an additional 40 million tonnes (39,000,000 long tons; 44,000,000 short tons) of waste rock per year. Currently, the Orapa mine annually produces approximately 10.8 million carats (2,160 kg) of diamonds. The recoverable ore grade at the mine is about 0.87 carats (0.174 g) per tonne. The mine was expanded in 1999, doubling its previous capacity. The processing plant at Orapa processes the ore produced at Orapa and Damtshaa diamond mines.
Orapa and its sister mine Letlhakane employ over 3,100. Debswana also maintains a 100-bed hospital, pre-primary and primary schools for employees' children, and the Orapa game park. The mine maintains an ISO 14001 certificate for environmental compliance, and places some importance on water conservation and waste management.
The preserved Cretaceous (Turonian ~94-90 million years old) lake sediments overlying the pipe are an important locality for fossil insects.
References
- ^ "Debswana History". www.debswana.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Orapa diamond mine discovery story retold | Sunday Standard". 10 November 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- ^ Brook, Michael C. (2016). Botswana's Diamonds. Gaborone, Botswana: Michael C. Brook, Kwena Pools, Notwane. p. 96. ISBN 9789991294186.
- ^ Lock, N. (February 2019). "Jwaneng - the untold story of the discovery of the world's richest diamond mine". Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. 119 (2): 155–164. doi:10.17159/2411-9717/2019/v119n2a8. ISSN 2225-6253.
- ^ "Q4 2019 Production Report" (PDF). Anglo American. Anglo American. 23 January 2020.
- ^ Brothers, D. J.; Rasnitsyn, A. P. (1 September 2003). "Diversity of Hymenoptera and other insects in the Late Cretaceous (Turonian) deposits at Orapa, Botswana : a preliminary review". African Entomology. 11 (2): 221–226. ISSN 1021-3589.